Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers explores corporate governance and ethics. This C2-level class material includes vocabulary, grammar, and a role-play activity to help advanced ESL students discuss complex business dilemmas.
Activities
- Students begin by discussing three realistic ethical dilemmas in small groups, prompting them to consider different stakeholder perspectives and decide on a course of action. This sets the stage for the lesson's theme.
- Students learn key corporate governance terms through matching and reading exercises. A listening gap-fill task tests their comprehension of a formal statement on corporate ethics, reinforcing the new vocabulary.
- Learners focus on using inversion for emphasis, a key feature of formal English, through a rewriting exercise. They are also provided with a bank of useful phrases for expressing concern and debating ethical issues.
- The lesson culminates in a board meeting role-play where students take on different personas (CEO, Head of Legal, etc.) to manage a PR crisis, using the language and concepts learned throughout the class.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary section focuses on high-level, formal terms essential for discussing corporate governance. Students will learn and practice words like 'fiduciary duty,' 'malfeasance,' 'probity,' 'due diligence,' 'stakeholder capitalism,' 'whistleblower,' 'scrutiny,' and 'impunity' in various contexts.
Grammar focus
This lesson targets the advanced grammatical structure of inversion for emphasis. Students will learn how to restructure sentences starting with negative or limiting adverbials like 'Never had...', 'Not only did...', and 'Under no circumstances should...'. This is crucial for adding formality and impact in business English.
